Gerard was called to the Bar in 2017.

He originally qualified as a Solicitor in 1997, before working in private practice covering civil and family proceedings and criminal defence work.

In 2003, he joined the Crown Prosecution Service where he earned his higher rights of audience, appearing as a Crown Advocate on a daily basis at the Carlisle Crown Court since 2008.

He joined Chambers in May 2024.

Gerard has strong links to Cumbria and Carlisle in particular where he has been a familiar face in court circles for over 30 years.

He has a reputation for being thoroughly prepared, robust yet fair in prosecution and passionate when defending his clients.

He is fostering new relationships with defence practices in Carlisle, Barrow and Lancashire and is taking on an increasing number of cases including a variety of offences including rape; serious drugs offences; conspiracies; robberies; harassment; serious assaults and public order act offences.

Gerard also prosecutes on behalf of the Probation Service and is willing to undertake regulatory work.

Gerard prides himself on being a “people person”, providing a friendly and reassuring approach. He likes to “go the extra mile” for his clients and victims and witnesses.

He believes strongly in the concept of justice, and has been complimented by colleagues and the judiciary over his years of practice for the fairness of his approach to all he encounters.

Notable Cases

R v M

Gerard prosecuted a case involving a single punch assault in which the victim suffered a catastrophic brain injury. The Judge sentenced outside the guidelines and the defence appealed. Gerard appeared at the Court of Appeal on the appeal against sentence and successfully argued that the Judge was entitled to depart from the guidelines. Gerard dealt with the distraught family throughout the proceedings, personally updating them with progress.

R v H, J & F

Gerard successfully prosecuted a robbery in which the victim was tied up and ‘pistol-whipped’ in front of her young child. This shocked the community of the small town where it happened. Combined sentences of over 30 years were imposed.

R v W

Gerard prosecuted a case in which the Defendant had committed sexual offences towards a teenage girl who lived in close proximity to the Defendant. After conviction, Gerard applied for an exclusion order to keep the Defendant away from the victim who had been badly affected.

The defence appealed against the order which excluded the Defendant from his own farm and home but at the Court of Appeal , the legality and proportionality of the Order was confirmed.

Outside Interests

5-a-side football

Music (attending concerts)

Trustee for the Harraby Community Centre in Carlisle

Memberships

Northern Circuit

Criminal Bar Association